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15 Real Northeast Ohio Haunted Places

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Franklin Castle is one of Ohio’s most notorious and most haunted places. Built by German immigrant Hannes Tiedemann in 1865, the castle has all the makings of the home of unruly spirits. There were allegedly numerous deaths that occurred under mysterious circumstances, including those of Tiedemann’s wife, mother and children. Babies can be heard crying through the walls, and victims of foul play have been sighted throughout the house. These include Karen, who is said to have been murdered with an axe and usually occupies the “cold room” on the third floor. The room is ten degrees colder than the rest of the house at all times. Franklin Castle is private property, but it’s still spooky from the outside.

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Cleveland’s Old Chestnut Grove Cemetery has many ghosts and haunted areas. There is said to be a grave of a witch that is sunken into the ground and located next to a big, old tree. She may have been executed in the cemetery as well. The townspeople put an iron fence around the grave instead of installing a headstone. The burial site is reportedly difficult to find, as the fence no longer exists. However, beware of going on a witch hunt. Legend has it that if you get too close to the grave, something terrible will happen to you.

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Ghost sightings have been reported at The Variety Theater on Lorain Avenue. The ghost of a man who fell from the scaffolding and died makes noises on the stage. Another man with red eyes is seen in the balcony, and a figure in white guards the water fountain on the first floor.

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A man dressed in a yellow raincoat has been seen in many places around the theater. Cleaning crews have also reported doors unlocking and opening on their own. There is also a creepy basement lounge where guests and employees have reported feeling a strange presence.

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This abandoned building has no shortage of ghosts. Spirits of the hospital’s patients follow a few steps behind any living person that dares to enter. While sightings are rare, their presence can definitely be felt.

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The Federal Reserve Bank Building in downtown Cleveland is said to be haunted by the ghost of a woman named Matilda. She is reportedly dressed as a flapper, and she killed herself in 1929 when the stock market crashed and she lost everything. She apparently stalks employees throughout the bank. Perhaps she was trying to warn them.

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Strange voices are heard throughout this creepy abandoned public school. It is also haunted by the ghost of a man who was badly burned by the boiler and died in the basement. Built in 1880, the school is an architectural relic of the era.

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Built in 1886, the Mansfield Reformatory was intended to be a milestone in prison reform. However, it soon gained a reputation for abuse, murder and torture. The prison shut down in 1990, but it is widely regarded as one of the most active haunted places in the United States. The spirits of workers and prisoners reportedly remained trapped, haunting the deteriorating and very intimidating prison.

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The Cleveland Grays were founded in 1837 as a city militia, and were so reputable and skilled that Cleveland sent them off into major American conflicts from the time of the Civil War through World War I. The armory was built in 1893 and is said to be haunted by spirits. Footsteps can be heard on empty staircases and floors.

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There are allegedly at least three malicious spirits that haunt Johnny Mango’s. Each spirit died violently nearby. Management even brought in a psychic to try and banish the spirits, but it didn’t work.

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Drury Mansion has had reports of hauntings and ghost sightings since it was built in 1912. The mansion has 52 rooms, mazelike hallways and an underground tunnel. Doors and windows reportedly open and close on their own. Two ghosts of women, one younger and one older, have been sighted.

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In 1899, Railroad Engineer Alexander Logan was operating Train No. 5 when it jumped the tracks and plummeted off the River Styx Bridge. The engineer was crushed to death, but his decision to continue steering the train saved the lives of other passengers. Since the mysterious accident, strange events have been reported on and around the bridge. A fiery phantom train was allegedly seen falling from the bridge. It has also been the site of a few suicides.

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Standard Oil co-founder Feargus B. Squire constructed this castle around 1890. According to legend, Mr. Squire’s wife tripped and fell down the stairs one night, breaking her neck in the fall. Her spirit is said to continue her nighttime wanderings, and her red lantern can be spotted in the windows.

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There have been a variety of spirits sighted, from a bearded man in shabby clothing to a young girl who appeared to have drowned. A psychic claimed to have made contact with a spirit who matched the description of W.B. Cleveland. This spirit refused to leave until a rocking chair was returned to the manor. Staff members searched for the chair, and uncovered a creepy network of crawlspaces and tunnels beneath the manor. Guests often complain about noises coming from rooms that are unoccupied, and children can be heard running through the halls.

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The Renaissance Cleveland houses an excess of spirits. According to staff, the fourth floor is particularly haunted. Lights flicker, toilets flush and faucets turn on and off by themselves.